David Stefanski won the Big, Big Baller at Borgata and $169,220

In the sixth event of the Borgata Big Series, David Stefanski emerged victorious, capturing the top prize of $169,220 and securing his first title.

The sixth event of the prestigious Borgata Big, Big Series — Event 6: $10,200 Big, Big Baller — has wrapped up at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa. The tournament attracted 69 entries, making it one of the most prominent high roller events of the series. The star of the final table was David Stefanski, who not only took down the event but also captured his first Borgata Big, Big Series title and the top prize of $169,220. Tournament Format and Prize Pool Event 6: $10,200 Big, Big Baller featured a $10,200 buy-in, making it the highest-priced tournament of the series. Over two days of play, the event drew 69 entries, building a prize pool of $690,000. Registration remained open until the start of Day 2, and at the beginning of the second day, 13 new players joined the 13 who had advanced from Day 1, taking advantage of late registration. As a result, the battle for the title was contested by some of the region’s top poker players. Payouts at the final table were as follows: 1st place — David Stefanski — $169,220 2nd place — Michael Wang — $127,750 3rd place — Drew O’Connell — $156,675 4th place — Matt Glantz 5th place — Clemen Deng 6th place — Michael Gagliano 7th place — Brock Wilson 8th place — Jeremy Becker It’s worth noting that when play reached three-handed, an ICM deal (splitting the remaining prize money based on chip stacks) was made. This allowed Drew O’Connell, who was chip leader at the time, to lock up the largest payout — $156,675 — despite finishing third. The remaining $19,960 was left to play for among the final three. Road to the Final: Key Moments Day 1 ended with 13 players bagging chips to return for Day 2. At the start of the second day, another 13 players joined via late registration, entering with short stacks of just 10 big blinds. The pace of eliminations was fast right from the start: Joe McKeehen was the first to bust, followed by Kharlin Sued, Cherish Andrews, and well-known pro Darren Elias — all of whom had survived Day 1 with chips. Next out were players who spent less than a full level at the tables: Matthew Beinner, Salvatore Evola, David Kinane, and Alex Queen all fell short of the money, exiting before the payouts. As the bubble approached — the point where the next elimination would leave with nothing while the rest locked up a cash — several big stacks from Day 1 also busted. Daniel Monosson lost a huge pot to David Stefanski when his full house was second best. Nicholas Verderamo couldn’t hold with a strong hand, and Edward Leonard was eliminated at another table. Jonathan Tamayo lost a key pot to Michael Wang, and Stefanski scored another knockout by busting Brandon Hamlet, which brought the tournament to hand-for-hand play (one hand at a time at each table until the bubble bursts). The race for the final table included Brock Wilson, Nicholas Palma, and Daniel Escherich. In a series of hands, Wilson hit a three-outer against Palma, then Palma doubled through Escherich, and finally Wilson hit a big out against Escherich, who became the bubble boy and left empty-handed. After that, the unofficial final table was set, and with Palma’s elimination, it became official. Stefanski continued his dominance, knocking out opponents one after another. Final Table: Action and Climax With eight players left, the action was streamed live. The first to exit the final table was Jeremy Becker, who had started the day as chip leader but couldn’t repeat his Day 1 success, running AQ into Clemen Deng’s AK and busting in eighth place. Soon after, Brock Wilson lost a coin flip to Stefanski and finished seventh. The rapid eliminations continued: Stefanski sent BETMGM ambassador Michael Gagliano home in sixth, then knocked out Clemen Deng after firing three barrels with top pair of twos, which got paid off. Matt Glantz finished fourth after being left short-stacked and losing a blind-versus-blind battle to Wang. With three players remaining — Stefanski, Wang, and O’Connell — an ICM deal was struck, leaving $19,960 to play for. Stefanski kept up the pressure, first eliminating O’Connell in third place, then closing out the heads-up against Michael Wang in convincing fashion. Heads-Up: Stefanski’s Redemption and Triumph For David Stefanski, this heads-up was a shot at redemption after a recent loss in Event 2: $2,200 Big, Big Kick Off, where he fell short in a similar spot despite holding a five-to-one chip lead. This time, Stefanski entered the final table with six and a half starting stacks and made the most of his advantage, leaving his opponent with no chance. In his post-win interview, Stefanski noted that he picked up strong hands in key spots against Michael Wang. He emphasized that, despite the tough field, getting good cards at the right moments played a big role and helped him outlast many star opponents. This victory brought Stefanski not only a hefty payday and another Borgata trophy, but also a major career milestone: his total live tournament winnings surpassed $3,000,000, moving him into the top 1,000 of the global rankings according to The Hendon Mob. With this result, he overtook such well-known pros as Jennifer Harman and Sammy Farha. Stefanski called it a significant achievement for his career and said he hopes to keep the momentum going. Final Table Results and Payouts Below are the official final table results for Event 6: $10,200 Big, Big Baller: 1st place: David Stefanski — $169,220 2nd place: Michael Wang — $127,750 3rd place: Drew O’Connell — $156,675 4th place: Matt Glantz 5th place: Clemen Deng 6th place: Michael Gagliano 7th place: Brock Wilson 8th place: Jeremy Becker Please note that payouts for 4th through 8th place were not specified in the official report, but the top-3 payouts reflect the ICM deal and the amount played for at the end. Key Quotes from the Players After his win, David Stefanski shared his thoughts: “Last time in heads-up I had a huge chip lead, but things didn’t go my way. Today against Mike [Wang], I picked up great hands and was able to make the most of my advantage.” Stefanski also mentioned that he came into Day 2 with six and a half starting stacks, which allowed him to confidently navigate through the short stacks of late registrants and avoid unnecessary risks. He highlighted the strength of the field: “There were some incredible players here, some of the best in the region.” On his career milestone, Stefanski said: “This is a big achievement for me. I’m happy with how the year is going and hope to keep it up.” Context: The Borgata Big, Big Series and the Venue The Borgata Big, Big Series is a series of poker tournaments held at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, one of the most renowned poker venues in the United States. The series is known for its high buy-ins and attracts the region’s top players, as well as ambassadors from poker brands like BETMGM. The Big, Big Baller event was the most expensive and prestigious tournament of the series, drawing the elite of the poker community. Many of the final table participants are already well-known for their live tournament success, and winning in such a tough field is a significant accomplishment for any professional. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this news offers several practical takeaways. First, the tournament dynamics in the Big, Big Baller event clearly demonstrate the importance of smart stack management, especially when entering late. As the tournament showed, even players who joined on Day 2 with short stacks could make deep runs with the right strategy. Second, David Stefanski’s story is a great example of the importance of mental resilience and learning from past setbacks. After losing heads-up in the previous series event, he was able to adjust his game and capitalize on his advantage in the crucial stages. For PPPoker players, it’s a reminder: even after tough losses, it’s important to analyze your play and stay confident. Finally, the ICM deal made among the final three is a common practice in major tournaments. Mastering ICM principles and knowing how to negotiate profitable deals can significantly boost your average profit in PPPoker club games, especially at final tables. Watch for these examples and put the knowledge to use in your own play!